Time Sifters Archaeology Society Newsletter May 2020

MAY-2020 PRESERVATION  EDUCATION  RESEARCH  INSPIRE Dear Member: Please join us on ZOOM for our May Lecture. A separate email will be sent to all members with the call-in information and instructions. We all have to do what we can to contain and eliminate the pandemic. As promised we have the winners of the Cornelia Futor Memorial Student Paper Grant Competition highlighted on page 2. The videos of their lectures are posted on the website. They are each 15-20 minutes long and well worth the time. Another reschedule is the Florida Anthropological Society’s (FAS) 72nd Annual Conference. It has been moved to October 2 - 4 at the Ritz Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, FL. The program includes archaeological exhibits, three halls with continuous 15 minute lectures with over 50 speakers talking about their latest pro- jects, a reception, and a dinner with Keynote Speaker Dr. Ryan Wheeler. He will talk about the intersection of Florida archaeology and northern museums. For more information and to register, please go to the FAS web- site. https://fasweb.org/annual-conference Thank you for being a Time Sifters member. Darwin “Smitty” Smith, President [email protected] May 20, 6:00 PM - on ZOOM Archaeology & the Bible: Excavations of Nahal Yatir- A Biblical City Dr. Steven Derfler, Executive Director, Educational Resources, Inc. To travel to the ancient land of Yet it is the excavation of the Photo: Steven Derfler David and Solomon, Sarah and everyday, run-of-the-mill cities Dr. Derfler has been uncovering Deborah, the ministry of Jesus, that are integral to the stories the histories of Ancient and the 3rd holiest place in Islam, and their backgrounds, that Civilizations for 40 years. Tracing is to be profoundly touched by history. shows archaeology at its finest. the development of western The art and archaeology of this No presumptions, no tainted religions from their roots in the biblical world \"puts flesh onto the narrative- simply an archaeological Middle East and Eastern bones\" of the literature and religion record that gives greater depth Mediterranean countries, that shapes the three great western and meaning to our collective Dr. Derfler brings insight to religious traditions. However, for religious heritage. One such site current political and social most of the history of archaeology is Nahal Yattir, located in the events, bridging the past with the of the biblical world, focus has western Negev of southern Israel. Its future to promote greater been placed on the attention grabbing archaeological record, combined understanding between people sites that nearly everyone may with biblical narrative, allows us from different faiths and walks of have heard of one way or another- to identify a lost biblical community. life. “the sexiest places” of the biblical narrative, like Jerusalem, the Galilee, An international educational Megiddo (biblical Armageddon), consultant, public speaker, Masada. archaeologist, historian, researcher, teacher and writer,

2019 Cornelia Futor Memorial Student Paper Winners Time Sifters is pleased to present the winners of this year’s Cornelia Futor Memorial Student Paper grant contest. Typically, these graduate students would have presented at our April meeting. Instead, we are pleased that they have both provided presentations that can be watched on our website. First Place Winner and museum studies. She aspires to one day work as a curator in Lindsay R. Ryan a museum, specifically with an University of South Florida archaeological and/or ancient art collection. “Photogrammetry & Roman Mosaics: A Case for Virtualization” Ms. Ryan explores the topic of Roman mosaics, an extremely Our top prize for the Photo: Lindsay Ryan valuable form of art and of winning paper went to information from the Roman Lindsay Ryan, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree world. They provided both in Art History from West a functional and decorative Virginia University, as well purpose and today give as minors in Anthropology powerful insight into the and in Women's and lives of many elite Romans Gender studies. Ms. Ryan and the places in which is currently a graduate they lived, worked, and student at the University celebrated. Ms. Ryan of South Florida pursuing makes the point that today a Master of Arts degree in Roman mosaics face History, specializing in various issues and Ancient History and challenges. These include Digital Humanities. Her conservation, accessibility, professional areas of interest display in museums, and and concentration include documentation. She classical art and archaeology, makes a good case for the digital archaeology, utilization of digital curation and management photogrammetry to address of archaeological materials, these themes, and provides three case studies from Sicily where this methodology has been successfully applied. Runner-up Mary S. Maisel “Below the Bridge: Understanding & Expanding the Use of Osteobiography in Biological Archaeology” Our second place finisher is has previously been employed Photo: Smithsonian Institution Mary Somerset Maisel. by the Smithsonian Institution’s Continued on page 3 ... Ms. Maisel is an archaeologist Arctic Studies Center where living and working in Tampa, she worked as a field tech and Florida. She holds a Bachelors administrative associate. Degree in Anthropology from During her time with the American University and Smithsonian, Mary worked at specializes in human skeletal archaeological sites in excavation and analysis. She Newfoundland, Labrador and

Continued from page 2 ... 2019 Cornelia Futor Memorial Student Paper Winners … continued Quebec, Canada as well as within the Smithsonian interdisciplinary research and Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, Institution forensic teaching theory, bio-archaeologists/ USA. Locally, Mary has worked collection - those of an individual anthropologists can work to on the Fort Brooke Estuary known to be experiencing include details about peoples’ Cemetery site and the Reflections homelessness at their time of lives that have not traditionally of Manatee site at Manatee death. Ms. Maisel discusses been included in documentary Mineral Springs Park. Next up, how potential causes of sources and provide a more Mary is looking forward to homelessness, evidence of holistic representation of beginning her Master’s degree at interpersonal violence, and human variation. Likewise, the University of South Florida postmortem discovery can be osteobiographies can also give in Public Anthropology focusing understood through skeletal researchers space to tackle on biological archaeology. analysis. other current discussions Ms. Maisel’s presentation An osteobiography uses the surrounding systemic issues explores the application of format of a fictive narrative to of socioeconomic and osteobiography within archaeology question the infinite possibilities sociopolitical injustice; issues in the study of skeletal remains. presented by even the smallest of that people experiencing It is based on remains housed skeletal details. Based on homelessness currently face. Time Sifters Board Elections This month we elect our Board ideas and service. Below is the early Tampa and Florida. Jean's Members for the 2020-2021 Slate of Directors put together other research interests include season. But first we must say by the Nominating Committee for the postcolonial theory, French goodbye to two members who are 2020 –2021 Season. We have added colonial North America, and the leaving us. Dorothy Cascio Jean Louise Lammie who is a Caribbean. (Media Liaison) who has done a doctoral candidate in the fantastic job of getting our name out to Anthropology Department at On May 15th we will email you a the public and Dr. Steve Derfler USF. She utilizes archaeology, ballot and a link for your voting who is now teaching full time at oral history, and traditional and comments. The deadline for the Ringling College. We want to archival research to interpret the voting will be end of day, thank them both for their work, complex interactions that defined May 20th. Nominees for Directors: Donald Nelson Time Sifters Board Marion Almy Jean Lammie Laura Harrison Darwin \"Smitty\" Smith May 2020 Karen Jensen Sherry Svekis Evelyn Mangie Copyright © 2020 Copyright © 2020 TimeSiftersArchaeology Society,Inc. All rights reserved. Time SiftersArchaeologySociety,Inc., All rights reserved. Officers: Board of Directors We send newsletters to people Darwin \"Smitty\" Smith, President who have attended or expressed Sherry Svekis, Vice President Directors: Evelyn Mangie interestin our lecturesand given us Marion Almy, Secretary Dorothy Cascio Don Nelson their email address. Laura Harrison, Treasurer Steven Derfler Karen Jensen, Membership

Membership Speakers & Events Calendar Lifetime: $350 Unless noted, all will be held at 6:00 PM Individual: $25 Selby Library, 1331 First St., Sarasota 34236 Family: $35 Student: $10 May 20, 2020—6:00 PM Supporting $40 Archaeology & the Bible: Excavation of Nahal Yatir—A Biblical City Pay online at: Dr. Steven Derfler WWW.TimeSifters.org Or mail checks to: September 16, 2020 Time Sifters, Inc. Explorers, Traders, Soldiers: PO Box 5283 Aegean presence in Sicily before the colonization. Sarasota, FL. 34277 Dr. Davide Tanasi October 21, 2020 The Afar and Lucy: the Anthropology of an Expedition Arthur G. Dole Time Sifters Archaeology Society P. O. Box 5283, Sarasota, FL 34277